Sri Lanka is transforming into a country that represents a nation suffering from malnutrition. According to the data and reports of the Sri Lanka Family Health Bureau, the level of malnutrition in Sri Lanka is increasing year by year. According to the reports, 15,763 children suffering from malnutrition have been identified. The highest level of malnutrition is reported from the Colombo Municipal Council area. It is also a serious problem that a high level of malnutrition has been reported in the Colombo Municipal Council area, which has the largest population.
As a whole, the Sri Lanka Family Health Bureau has explained several factors that have caused it.
- Urban poverty,
- Ignorance regarding health habits,
- Parents being addicted to drugs,
- Loss of educational opportunities.
2022 and beyond will see a decline in health among the citizens of Sri Lanka. In particular, deficiencies in nutrition can be identified here, and it has caused a decrease in the strength that humans should have. The Sri Lanka Family Health Bureau has pointed out several reasons for that. - Economic crisis
- Corona epidemic
- The problem of food security
- Lack of nutritious food and difficulty in purchasing it
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka report (2022) on the nutritional status of children in Sri Lanka has also been published. It shows that the percentage of underweight children (under 05 years of age) recorded in 2021 is 12.2%. That figure has risen to 15.3% by 2022. Also, the percentage of children who do not have appropriate height for their age is 7.4% in 2021, and the figure has grown to 9.2% in 2022. In 2021, the percentage of children who do not have weight for their height is 8.2%. But by 2022, that figure has grown to 10.1%. (Central Bank of Sri Lanka Report, 2022)
Also, the Central Bank report clearly shows that the economic turmoil in the country has directly affected children’s nutrition and health issues. (www.cbsl.gov.lk)
Meanwhile, according to the United Nations Development Program, 55% of the total population of Sri Lanka is facing serious problems in meeting the needs of food, health, education, sanitation, etc. The organization has indicated that the number of people is close to 123 lakhs. The organization has also indicated that the number of people suffering from food insecurity exceeds 60 lakhs.
As indicated by the Sri Lanka Family Health Bureau, children as well as adults are at risk of becoming underweight people. Malnutrition is a severe problem, especially in pregnant mothers. The bureau points out that it may lead to an increase in the number of low-birth-weight babies.
What is the government’s responsibility in such a situation? It has become a question asked by the society. According to the 2022 Central Bank report, the government has decided to implement an emergency nutrition plan effective for the period 2022-2024 to save society from malnutrition. In response to the problem, the government has announced that the program will be implemented targeting pregnant mothers, children under 05 years, women, and specific communities. However, when focusing on the actual situation, it is clear that such special attention does not seem to be applied. In the family health activities that deal specifically with children’s health, it is observed that the nutrition rations to which the children as well as the mothers should be entitled, including Triposha, are not being received properly. Analyzing the data of institutions such as the Sri Lanka Family Health Bureau and such observations, it is clear that proper attention has not been paid to children’s nutrition. As indicated by the Family Health Bureau, the number of low birth weight babies, which was 14.5% in 2022, has grown to 15% in 2023.
Conditions such as food insecurity, malnutrition and low birth weight are commonly reported in rural areas, and indebtedness and poverty as well as ignorance have led to the creation of these problems. Even if there are acres of land, people are not interested in growing nutritious things or they are used to getting everything from the market. 33.4% of the people are in debt to fulfil the needs of providing food, medical treatment and education. This is stated in a survey report conducted by Oxford University.
However, it is not fair to allow children to pay for it, no matter how many mistakes and shortcomings can be talked about. Therefore, it is imperative to address the acute malnutrition situation that is spreading rapidly. Just saying that the future of the country will be handed over to the children will not solve the problem, and if the solutions are not taken properly, there is a possibility that a strong generation will not be created to hand over the future. In order to make the saying ‘for premature children’ a reality, the government and society should act without delay to provide quick solutions to this problem.
